In Libya: Even the Chair Gets Angry?
After more than a decade since the eruption of the revolution that was meant to be a way out of the same bleak political cycle, the political game in Libya continues to revolve in the same vicious circle between legitimacy-eroded bodies fighting for survival, and new faces popping up now and then not out of love for the nation, but out of greed for a chair that guarantees them their share of the cake before it melts in the heat of the ongoing struggle.
Today, in a scene that is repulsive, disgusting, and provoking, a number of candidates for the Aguila Saleh–Khaled Al-Meshri government which was buried before it was born announce their intention to organize a demonstration in front of the UN mission headquarters in Libya, claiming that their protest is against the political track adopted by the mission, and calling so they claim for a clear roadmap. But the truth of their protest is nothing but the tantrum of those excluded from the latest division of spoils. These figures believe they were sidelined in the recent understandings so with Khaled Al-Meshri exiting the scene and Mohammed Takala returning as officially recognized head of the High Council of State, the curtain closed on their dreams of heading a new transitional government, leaving them with nothing but noise in the street.
What is controversial is that protests are not sparked to achieve national interests or to build a state of law and institutions, but rather the main driver seems to be anxiety over losing positions and personal privileges. It would have been better for them had their intentions been sincere to demand a genuine political process leading to elections that end these legitimacy-decayed bodies and close the chapter of endless transitional stages, instead of being angered over losing hope in presiding over yet another transitional phase.
This behavior by such individuals clearly and starkly reflects the opportunism and self-interest that have taken hold of most Libyans, where no one seems to care for anything except accumulating money and exploiting corruption for personal benefit even if it comes at the expense of the country’s future.
What is happening in the Libyan street reflects a deep crisis of trust between politicians and citizens. In many Libyan cities, competition over reconstruction or providing security or the illusion of security takes precedence over the real concerns of citizens. The citizen seeks improvement of daily living conditions, better healthcare and education services, and justice that fights oppression, corruption, and favoritism, while narrow agendas dominate the political scene, exploited by some to feed corruption and patronage networks.
The daily suffering of Libyans is a painful reality, manifesting in real unemployment and disguised unemployment, in crushing poverty biting into the flesh of thousands of Libyans whose numbers keep joining the lists of the poor and in ongoing disruption of basic services such as electricity and water.
Reports by international and local organizations document monthly the continued killing of civilians, arbitrary arrests of activists and journalists, and the recovery of migrants’ bodies on the shores these are victims of hopelessness, where citizens no longer have anything to lose except waiting.
Add to this: Libya today is under the weight of new conflicts pulling the country toward more chaos. Armed clashes have re-emerged in some areas, alongside the spread of criminal networks and armed groups operating under the cover of official institutions and enjoying an exceptional state of impunity. Instead of integrating these groups into a permanent solution, they have become a central part of the problem turning the country into a marketplace of political bargaining and armed violence.
The most frustrating matter is the absence of true national will to reach a radical solution to the ongoing crisis. The international community, despite its shortcomings, cannot replace Libyans in building their state. The UN mission offers one track after another, swaps one transitional stage with another, and leads dialogue after dialogue but the ultimate decision, above all, the decision to stop this bloody farce, lies in the hands of Libyan actors.
These actors must realize, given global changes and regional political shifts, that continuing this tug-of-war will only lead to more loss and destruction. They must understand that a real opportunity for reform requires transcending personal interests and striving to build a sustainable political framework that meets the aspirations of the Libyan people.
The painful conclusion is that the protest being called for today by the (spoiled ones) is not for Libya it is a protest for a chair. It is a scream in a valley filled with tangled personal interests, where the only victim is the Libyan citizen who no longer has anything to lose except time wasted in waiting. A collective awareness is needed to lead to a turning point that gives hope to future generations, and steer the country toward true stability and a comprehensive national process that restores the value of sovereignty and ensures security and prosperity for the nation.